Single-bucket excavator

ABSTRACT

A bucket suspension system for an excavator in the form of a six-bar mechanism consisting of two combined four-bar mechanisms whose common links are the boom and the arm. One of the four bar mechanisms is a parallelogram; the other four-bar mechanism, besides the boom and arm, comprises as one of the links a power cylinder which is hingedly connected to the turntable and the arm thus making the turntable a stationary link of this four-bar mechanism. Such suspension eliminates changing of the cutting angle during the working travel of the bucket.

Unite States atent [191 Goikhburg et al.

[451 Feb. 19, 1974 SINGLE-BUCKET EXCAVATOR [76] Inventors: VladimirKelmanovich Goikhburg, I

Mosfilmovsky pereulok 5a, kv. 81; Georgy Ivanovich Finikov, Likhoborskiebugry, 6, kv. 3, both of Moscow; Viktor Alexandrovich Svirsky,Moskovskoi oblasti, ulitsa Shevlyakova, 45, kv. ll, Ljubertsy,Moskovskoi Oblasti; Vladimir Yakovlevich Shklovsky, Molodogvardeiskaya,24, Lorpusi, kv. 69, Moscow; Mikhail Lvovieh Kuperman, Novomytischinskyprospekt, 31, korpus 2, kv. 20, Mytischi, Moskovskoi Oblasti; OlegArkadievich Smirnov, ulitsa Efremova, l4, kv. 16, Moscow; AdolfPetrovich Fedorov, Suborovsky prospekt, 65, kv. 20, Leningrad; GennadyMikhailovieh Piskarev, Dalnevostochny proezd, 28, kv. 19, Leningrad; Levlllarionovich Averynov, ulitsa Lenina, 12/6, kv. 7, Leningrad; NikolaiIvanovich Gavrilov, Sojuznaya ulitsa, 23; Anatoly Efimovich Litvak, IArtemovskaya ulitsa, 34, kv. 46, both of Kovrov, Vladimirskoi Oblasti;Petr Moiseevich Khanokh, Saratovskaya ulitsa, 12/28, kv. 64; AvramYakovievich Rozenblat, Lagernaya ulitsa, 44, kv. 242, both of Kiev;Alexandr Vladimirovich Rannev, Veernaya ulitsa, 3, kv. 68, Moscow, allof U.S.S.R.

[22] Filed:

[21] Appl. No.: 227,187

[52] US. Cl. 214/138 R, 214/773 Primary ExaminerGerald M. ForlenzaAssistant Examiner--Kenneth Noland Attorney, Agent, or FirmEric H.Waters [57] ABSTRACT A bucket suspensionsystern t'or an excavator in thefor i n of a six barnechanism consisting of two can; bined four-barmechanisms whose common links are the boom and the arm. One of the fourbar mechanisms is a parallelogram; the other four-bar mechanism, besidesthe boom and arm, comprises as one of the links a power cylinder whichis hingedly connected to the turntable and the arm thus making theturntable a stationary link of this four-bar mechanism. Such suspensioneliminates changing of the cutting angle during the working travel ofthe bucket.

1 Claim, 1 Drawing Figure The experience of load-handling operationsshows that the best effect is achieved when the bucket penetrates thepile of free-flowing or lump material in such a manner that its cuttinglip moves in a straight line progressively along the border line betweenthe pile and the surface on which it rests.

Known in the art are single-bucket excavators built for theabove-mentioned applications wherein the straight path of the bucketworking travel is accomplished by using a suspension in the form of asix-bar mechanism. Said mechanism consists of two four-bar mechanisms socombined with each other that the excavator boom and bucket arm serve asas common links for both of them.

One of the four-bar mechanisms is constituted by theconsecutively-connected arm-lifting hydraulic cylinder, rod, bucket arm,and boom. The other four-bar mechanism is constituted, in a consecutiveorder, by the boom, bucket arm, bucket -turning power cylinder and theswinging bracket of the bucket turning drive in which case the oppositelinks of this four-bar mechanism are not equal to each other (e.g., S co er- SOQ excavators manufactured by Koe lu'ing, USA, NCK- Rapier,England, and M l 50R manufactured by Menck, Federal Republic of Germany,and defined in US. Pat. No. 3,120,315 Cl. 2l4l38).

The main disadvantage of these excavators resides in the impossibilityof standardizing the elements of the bucket suspension with those of theother items of equipment. This is attributable to the complexconfiguration of the boom and arm and to the necessity of providingspecial points of attachment to the excavator turntable, usedexclusively with one type of equipment.

Also known in the art are other single-bucket excavators of the sameutility wherein straightness of the bucket travel is accomplished byusing a suspension in the form of a four-bar mechanism constituted bythe boom, bucket arm, swivelling bracket for fastening the bucket to thearm, and by the rod connecting said bracket to the boom (e.g.,excavators TC-45 and TY-45" manufactured by Messrs Poclain, France anddescribed in French Pat. No. 1,241,190 Cl. E02f).

A disadvantage of these excavators lies in changing of the cutting angleduring the working travel of the bucket. This occurs due to theinevitable rotary motion of the bracket connected to the bucket when theposition of the bucket suspension changes in the process of ensuringstraight travel of the bucket cutting lip.

The main object of the invention resides in standardizing the elementsof the bucket suspension with those of the other items of equipment.Another object of the invention is to stabilize the cutting angle duringthe working travel of the bucket.

These objects are achieved by providing a singlebucket excavator withthe bucket suspension made in the form of a six-bar mechanism consistingof two combined four-bar mechanisms whose common links are the boom andbucket arm in which, according to the invention, one of the four-barmechanisms comprises a power cylinder one end of which is articulated tothe excavator turntable while the other one is fastened to the bucketarm; the second four-bar mechanism is a parallelogram which includes theupper end of the boom and the bucket arm as unequal links.

The bucket suspension of this type makes it possible to eliminateswivelling of the bracket and bucket secured to said suspension in thecourse of straight travel of the cutting lip and, in addition, to usethe connecting elements of the turntable for installing other kinds ofreplaceable working tools and also to use the elements of the suspensionaccording to the invention (boom, boom-lifting power cylinders, etc.)for these kinds of replaceable working tools.

Given below is a detailed description of the invention by way of examplewith reference to the accompanying drawing the sole FIGURE of whichillustrates mainly the front-end of the excavator-loader realizedaccording to the present invention in one position in solid lines, thedotted lines showing another working position of the equipment).

The excavator turntable 1 mounts a boom 2 whose lower end is articulatedto the turntable 1 by a hinge 3. The arm 5 of the bucket 6 isarticulated to the upper end of the boom 2 by means of a hinge 4. Theboom 2 and arm 5 are included in a six-bar mechanism 7 of the bucketsuspension. The mechanism 7 is composed of two four-bar mechanismscombined in such a manner that the boom and arm serve as their commonlinks. One four-bar mechanism (referred to hereafter as the first) isconstituted by hydraulic cylinder 8 one end of which is connected by thehinge 9 with the turntable 1 while the other end is connected to the arm5 by the hinge 10, the length fo the arm 5 between the hinges 4 and 10,the length of the boom 2 between the hinges 4 and 3 and the part of theturntable 1 between the hinges 3 and 9. The other four-bar mechanismhereinafter called the second" mechanism is a parallelogram formed bythe arm 5, connected by the rod 11 to the boom 2 by the hinge 12, by thebracket 13 which is connected by hinges l4 and 15 with the rod 1 1 andarm 5, and by length of the boom 2 between the hinges 4 and 12. The arm5 and rod 11 as well as the bracket 13 and the length of the boom 2between the hinges 4 and 12 form the opposite equal sides of theparallelogram of the second four-bar mechanism.

The bracket 13 is connected with the bucket 6 by a hinge 16.

The hydraulic cylinder 8 is provided for lifting and lowering the boom2.

The hydraulic cylinder 17 connected by hinges l8 and 19 with the boom 2and arm 5, respectively, serves for turning the bucket arm 5; thehydraulic cylinder 20 turns the bucket 6 around the hinge 16 withrespect to the bracket 13.

The arrangement described above ensures rectilinear travel of the bucketon the level of the excavator supporting surface which is an imperativeprerequisite for the most efficient and power-saving scooping of thematerial with the bucket.

This straight motion of the bucket is provided for by the hydrauliccylinder 17 alone, the cylinder 8 being locked, which greatly simplifiescontrol of the working equipment in scooping the material.

With the working tools in the initial position, the rod of the hydrauliccylinder 17 is retracted, the boom 2 is set by the hydraulic cylinder 8to such a position that the cutting lip of the bucket 6 is lowered tothe level of the excavator supporting surface and the bucket is set to aposition for scooping with the aid of the hydraulic cylinder 20.

The material is scooped by extending the rod of the power cylinder 17 sothat the arm turns on the hinge 4 and the arm length located between thehinges 4 and changes the position of the first four-bar mechanismrelative to the immovable link, i.e. the portion of the turntable 1between the hinges 3 and 9. The position of the hinge 10 on the arm 4 isset in such a manner that, due to automatic coordination between thepositions of the arm 5 and boom 2, the cutting lip is constantly at thelevel of the excavator supporting surface during the movement of thepower cylinder 17. The progressive motion of the bucket 6 is ensured bythe second fourbar mechanism. The rectilinear progressive motion of thebucket is completed by turning the cutting lip of the bucket upward bythe force of the power cylinder 20.

Subsequent lifting of the bucket and entire working equipment ifeffected by the hydraulic cylinders 8.

Then the turntable l is slewed by its own mechanisms and the load inbucket 6 is dumped. For this purpose its cutting lip is turned down bymeans of the hydraulic cylinder 20.

After the turntable 1 has been swung back and the bucket brought to thepoint of scooping, the working equipment is again set to the initialposition and the operating cycle is repeated as described above.

Though the excavator disclosed in the application has been describedmainly as a loader, it can be employed with equal success for thelevelling jobs.

What we claim is:

l. A single bucket excavator comprising a turntable, a boom pivotablyconnected to the turntable, a bucket arm pivotably connected to theboom, a six-bar bucket suspension constituted by two combined four-barmechanisms with the boom and arm being common links thereof, a firstpower cylinder pivotably connected at one end thereof to the turntableand at the other end thereof to the bucket arm, said power cylinderserving as one of the links of one four-bar mechanism, the secondfour-bar mechanism including a rod extending parallel to said bucket armand pivotably connected to said boom, and a bracket to which saidbucket, said arm and said rod are pivotably connected individually anddirectly such that the second four-bar mechanism is a parallelogramlinkage with the rod and bucket arm as one pair of links, said rod andarm constituting the sole connection between the boom and bucket, theother pair of links of the second four-bar mechanism being unequal inlength to the first pair and constituted by said bracket and the portionof the boom between the pivotal connections thereof to the rod andbucket arm, said first power cylinder and said boom being pivotablyconnected to said turntable at spaced locations, the length of theturntable between said locations representing another of the links ofsaid one fourbar mechanism, said bucket arm including an integralprojection to which said first power cylinder is pivotably connected ata location offset from the pivotable connection of the bucket arm to theboom, the length of the bucket arm between the connection thereof tosaid first cylinder and said boom representing another of the links ofsaid one four-bar mechanism such that by virtue of said integralprojection, said arm forms a respective link in both four-barmechanisms, and a second power cylinder pivotably connected to said boomand said bucket arm.

1. A single bucket excavator comprising a turntable, a boom pivotablyconnected to the turntable, a bucket arm pivotably connected to theboom, a six-bar bucket suspension constituted by two combined four-barmechanisms with the boom and arm being common links thereof, a firstpower cylinder pivotably connected at one end thereof to the turntableand at the other end thereof to the bucket arm, said power cylinderserving as one of the links of one four-bar mechanism, the secondfour-bar mechanism including a rod extending parallel to said bucket armand pivotably connected to said boom, and a bracket to which saidbucket, said arm and said rod are pivotably connected individually anddirectly such that the second four-bar mechanism is a parallelogramlinkage with the rod and bucket arm as one pair of links, said rod andarm constituting the sole connection between the boom and bucket, theother pair of links of the second four-bar mechanism being unequal inlength to the first pair and constituted by said bracket and the portionof the boom between the pivotal connections thereof to the rod andbucket arm, said fiRst power cylinder and said boom being pivotablyconnected to said turntable at spaced locations, the length of theturntable between said locations representing another of the links ofsaid one four-bar mechanism, said bucket arm including an integralprojection to which said first power cylinder is pivotably connected ata location offset from the pivotable connection of the bucket arm to theboom, the length of the bucket arm between the connection thereof tosaid first cylinder and said boom representing another of the links ofsaid one fourbar mechanism such that by virtue of said integralprojection, said arm forms a respective link in both four-barmechanisms, and a second power cylinder pivotably connected to said boomand said bucket arm.